METROCON18 Expo & Conference: A Sweet Success in its 16th Year

Sunday, November 04, 2018 8:08 PM |
Anonymous

If you were not at Dallas Market Hall on August 9 & 10, then you missed out on an amazing opportunity to learn from and connect with2,200+ members of the built environment representing1,065 companies.

The event, which is the largest not-for-profit, self-produced, volunteer-driven, design specification-focused regional expo and conference in the USA, celebrated 16 years of industry collaboration and attracted 55event sponsors, more than any other year in the event’s history.

METROCON18 showcased 160Exhibitors representing 211 manufacturers, service providers, and organizations representing all practice areas and market segments, and it attracted interior designers, architects, specifiers, facility managers, students, and a myriad of other essential design industry members from Texas, Oklahoma, and 22 other states across the USA.

This year’s conference delivered 51 hours of premium programming on timely topics presented by 62 industry experts. Offerings included two Seminars, two Student Programs, five tours, a Keynote that doubled as a CEU, and 40 other continuing education courses. All CEUs were IDCEC-approved and qualified as CEPHs to meet requirements for Registered Interior Designers and Architects for the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, and many also were approved by AIA, EDAC, and GBCI.

Keynote Address:Sustainability champion Steve Glenn delivered the keynote address. An über entrepreneur, he is the Founder & Managing Director ofLivingHomesand the CEO of Plant Prefab, companies that work together to design and develop modern, prefabricated homes that combine world-class architecture with an unparalleled commitment to healthy and sustainable construction. Glenn discussed the opportunities and challenges of prefabrication and the strategies he uses to create LEED Platinum level homes for all strata of society.

Keynote Speaker Steve Glenn of LivingHomes and Plant Prefab spoke about his commitment to healthy and sustainable construction.

Continuing Education:Although manyCEUsreceived rave reviews, two courses that proved popular with this year’s audience were:

Keynote Speaker Steve Glenn of LivingHomes and Plant Prefab spoke about his commitment to healthy and sustainable construction.

NEW IDEAS

From a more open trade show floor plan with expanded visibility to an altered show schedule to benefit both attendees and exhibitors, METROCON implemented many new ideas based on last year’s post-show survey feedback.

Design Charrette:We hosted our firstcharretteat this year’s event. We reached out to regional interior design and architecture programs, asking them to nominate up to four students to participate in this invitation-only opportunity. Three teams were recognized, with each member of the 1st Place team receiving a $250 Gift Card for school supplies. Congratulations to the winning team [Team 4] made up of the following students:

Allison Ray – El Centro College

Beatriz Perez – Texas State University

Shane Smith – University of North Texas

Team 4 representing El Centro College, Texas State University, and the University of North Texas won 1st Place in METROCON’s inaugural Design Charrette.

Community Involvement:As this is the Year of the Dog, it inspired us to work with non-profit organization Straydog, a no-kill dog shelter and sanctuary in the Dallas area. Their primary mission was to raise awareness about the important work they do and encourage the adoption of dogs looking for safe and loving homes. However, we were happy to help them with their second mission: seeking resources to construct a new building to serve dogs in need. (This new collaboration got the attention of Dallas television channel The CW33, who joined us the first day of the show and ran ashort segmenton their 9:00 PM news hour that evening.) If you are interested in donating services, time, products and/or money to help Straydog’s cause, contact them directly through their website,Straydog.org

PLAN NOW TO BE A PART OF METROCON19!

Mark your calendar now: METROCON19 Expo & Conference will take place in Dallas on August 8 & 9, 2019. Visitmetroconexpo.orgto find links to view photos and statistics from this year’s show and to sign up to receive notifications to stay informed about attending, presenting, sponsoring, and exhibiting at next year’s event!